<p>@greycat - I’m glad you took a look at those links. Obies are social justice oriented above straight-up politically oriented more of the time.</p>
<p>Defining political activism specifically is a difficult thing here. My dad went here in the 70s, when there was much political upheaval everywhere, which meant that campus was a hotbed. His stories are crazy: draft card burnings, sit-ins, tear gas. Being the politically minded alum that he is, he actually thinks that our campus is tame today. He wonders constantly why we’re not protesting the wars currently going on (I don’t ever have a good answer to this, even after four years here as a student). His reunion is coming up this weekend, which means that I’ll probably be hearing such intense stories of those times, and be secretly very thankful that I’m hearing them and not participating in what they’re talking about.</p>
<p>Nowadays, there isn’t that same level of national unrest, so we aren’t seeing that magnified here. However, with all the union-based bills occurring in Ohio right now (SB-5 here, similar to the craziness that went down in Wisconsin a few months ago), there are a great number of discussions, panels, and protests around campus and in the community, and that’s just a start.</p>
<p>There are many active groups on campus that deal with political issues, but that is a very wide spectrum. We have the OCDems and the OCLibertarians and Republicans, and both bring a fair number of speakers from the middle of the road to very controversial, and this usually brings about much conversation surrounding their visits. But if you step out of the parties groups, you’ll find groups that are interested in immigration issues, the issues surrounding the American identity, food politics, environmental issues, Planned Parenthood (the [the</a> New York Times article](<a href=“Abortion Dispute Complicates Budget Negotiations - The New York Times”>Abortion Dispute Complicates Budget Negotiations - The New York Times) pictured three of our current students!), and many more.</p>
<p>I like to think that we’re active, but we’re interested in the greater good more than we are interested in specific issues.</p>